One of the most common queries we get here at Wiggly Wigglers is about moisture levels in wormeries.

When a wormery is placed outside water can penetrate the lid via the ventilation holes, so it is always preferable to either store it under cover or put a rain cap on the lid. However, water is also being produced inside the wormery. The moisture content of the food waste being added to the wormery is 80-90% and, in addition, water (along with carbon dioxide), is produced as the worms and micro-organisms break down the waste.

Whilst the water that has passed through the wormery provides nutrient-rich worm tea (diluted 1 part to 10 with water makes a great liquid plant feed), too much water in your wormery is not a good thing for the general health and wellbeing of your worms.

To prevent the contents of your wormery getting too soggy, you should add plenty of dry material (25-30% of the total waste added) in the form of paper shreddings, torn and scrunched up newspaper and cardboard, such as egg boxes and the insides of toilet and kitchen rolls. Not only does this prevent the wormery getting too wet, it also provides the worms with a valuable source of fibre.

If the wormery is already too wet, empty the sump tray and leave the tap in the open position. In addition, add plenty of paper (scrunched up newspaper is particularly good) to the top of the compost/food waste in each layer of the wormery, but don't disturb the compost by mixing the paper in.

For more tips and blogs on looking after a wormery - pop on over to here https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/blogs/blog/tagged/urbalive